Friday, January 13, 2017

Leonard Cohen - revisited




My previous post was illustrated with photographs of Leonard Cohen's house taken on November 25, 2016.  I revisited his house three days later and again on January 6, 2017 and would like to share more photos taken on those two occasions.  As you will see, many more flowers and oranges were left at the house.

Also, I want to mention a wonderful Christmas gift that I received from my thoughtful and generous sister, Diane.  The photograph above is of this gift which is her painting of Cohen superimposed with many of the words of my favourite song of his, "Alexandra Leaving".  

She painstakingly searched for a still image from one of his videos and then took on the arduous and time-consuming process of painting the image and merging it with the text.  I am so touched by the thoughtfulness of this gift and so awed by the final result.

I left a small copy of this painting within a gazebo in the park opposite his house where the tributes have been moved. 









 




This last photograph is of a tiny, clinging vine on the bricks of his house.  I'm sure there is a metaphor here and were I to have the talent of Leonard Cohen, maybe I could write a poem about it.  Perhaps it would deal with the tenacity and subtle beauty of this little hardy plant as it spreads itself in space and time. I think many of these qualities exist in Cohen's works.


9 comments:

  1. A nice post and lovely pictures. Flighty xx

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  2. The vine reminds me of an O. Henry story. Yes, Mr. Cohen could have written a poem about it, and i would have enjoyed reading it.

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    1. I found the O. Henry story on-line ("The Last Leaf") and was very touched by it. Thank you messymimi for mentioning it. :-)

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  3. I'm not sure that Leonard Cohen touched everyone, only a select few. His poetry, was an extension of his soul, and understood only by kindred spirits.

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    1. I think I understand what you are saying Glacierbear although all his sold-out concerts bear testimony to how Cohen reached a great number of people over various demographics.

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  4. Poetry is definitely something of which I have little interest or understanding. Reading "between the lines" though is something I can do. Leonard Cohen touched me as I was able to absorb his meaning on an emotional level. His words and songs resonated with me. One need only look at the many tributes left by his grave and house to know his words had resonance for so very many.

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    1. Didee, to me you hit the nail on the head when you wrote "I was able to absorb his meaning on an emotional level". I will readily admit that I do not understand most of his poetry or lyrics but his words combined with his voice and his music touch me deeply.

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  5. Well, Do

    You were a tad parsimonious with displaying Diane's wonderful work -- at least to us, but I see that you left LC with a good-sized version.

    Anyway, it looks like a wonderful gift from your sister.

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